Hello,
One of my character's younger baby brother is currently named Baby X. The baby is finally given a name at the end of the novel--symbolising the family overcoming their 'problems.'
When a baby is born, does the parent have to name the child there and then?
In the United States, a baby would need a name, legally assigned on the birth certificate, before a social security number can be assigned to the baby and before the baby will be covered by most (all?) insurance companies.
So realistically, because the baby will need health care starting pretty soon after birth, the parents are pretty much forced to choose a name.
Now, some parents choose a name to satisfy the paper work, and then go back later and legally change the baby's name, once they really have settled on the name they like. But they will have to choose a legal name pretty soon after the baby is born, practically speaking.
Also, child development experts will say that babies start recognizing their names and answering to them by (I think) 4-5 months old. So, whatever the baby is being called by then will, in effect, be the name the child answers to and identifies with.
So, if this is contemporary United States, they would name the baby - not call the baby "Baby X" - within days of birth for legal purposes. They can call the baby whatever they want, but they would have to choose a legal name.
Outside the US, there would be different rules.
How much time does the book encompass? If more than a few days, and it is contemporary United States, they'd have to give the baby a name...but they could call him "Baby X" as a nickname, I guess...and then the end of the book they could officially start calling him by his name or legally change his name.
But, I'm wondering why they wouldn't name him sooner, if the book takes place over an extended period of time...
~suki